A bulldozer and an excavator were used to smash and drive over the fleet of vehicles, which had been in storage for several years and included eight Mercedes-Benz models, a Porsche 911 GT3 and a rare Renault 5 Turbo from the 1980s.

They were just the first of over 800 vehicles set to be destroyed.

The vehicles had been intentionally abandoned at the port without paying customs, so that an importer could purchase them later from a government auction at a lower price, according to The Inquirer. A court ruling made this type of scheme illegal in 2013, and the outfit that imported these vehicles is not contesting the decision to crush them, The Manila Times reported.

Philippine President Rodrigo DuterteReuters

“The destruction of these contraband luxury vehicles signifies our strong resolve to restore good governance, preserve our nation’s dignity and safeguard our people’s welfare,” Duterte said at the event, which was broadcast on Facebook.